Collision avoidance assist apparatus

Abstract

Collision avoidance assist apparatus comprises an object information acquiring apparatus for acquiring, as object information, information on a three-dimensional object as well as dividing lines defining a travelling lane in front of a vehicle, and a control unit configured to, when a collision possibility with a three-dimensional object is high, identify this object as a target object. When one of the dividing lines has been detected without any discontinuation in a predetermined region as well as a part of an other dividing line has not been detected therein, if the control unit determines, based on the object information, that a second condition which is satisfied when the target object is positioned on the other dividing line and is moving in a same direction as an extending direction is satisfied and an avoidance route exists, the control unit performs automatic steering control so that the vehicle travels along the avoidance route.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A collision avoidance assist apparatus comprising:
 an object information acquiring apparatus for acquiring, as object information, information on a three-dimensional object existing in front of an own vehicle as well as left and right dividing lines defining a travelling lane extending in front of said own vehicle; 
 a steered angle actuator configured to be capable of changing a steered angle of said own vehicle; and 
 a control unit configured to acquire, based on said object information, a collision index value indicating a collision possibility of said own vehicle and said three-dimensional object, and when said collision index value satisfies a collision condition which is satisfied when said collision possibility is high, to identify said three-dimensional object as a target object, 
 wherein, 
 said control unit is configured to: 
 determine, based on said object information, whether or not a first condition is satisfied, said first condition being satisfied when both of said left and right dividing lines of said travelling lane have been detected without any discontinuation in a predetermined region in front of said own vehicle, 
 when it is determined that said first condition is not satisfied and one dividing line of said left and right dividing lines has been detected without any discontinuation in said predetermined region as well as a part of an other dividing line has not been detected in said predetermined region, determine, based on said object information, whether or not a second condition is satisfied, said second condition being satisfied when said target object is positioned on said other dividing line as well as said target object is moving in a direction same as an extending direction of said one dividing line, 
 determine, based on said object information, whether or not an avoidance route for said own vehicle exists, said avoidance route enabling said own vehicle to avoid a collision with said target object without said own vehicle deviating from said travelling lane, 
 determine whether or not a steering avoidance condition is satisfied, said steering avoidance condition including a condition that either said first condition or said second condition is satisfied as well as said avoidance route exists, and 
 when it is determined that said steering avoidance condition is satisfied, perform automatic steering control for controlling said steered angle actuator in such a manner that said own vehicle travels along said avoidance route. 
 
     
     
       2. The collision avoidance assist apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein,
 said control unit is configured to, when a magnitude of an angle is less than or equal to a predetermined angle threshold, said angle being formed by a moving direction of said target object and said extending direction of said one dividing line, determine that said target object is moving in a same direction as said extending direction of said one dividing line. 
 
     
     
       3. The collision avoidance assist apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein,
 said control unit is configured to, when a distance of a part where said dividing line has not been detected is more than or equal to a predetermined distance threshold, determine that said part of said dividing line has not been detected.